Good News Comes to the Contagious
Leprosy is a disease that can be very contagious. The Law of Moses explains how an Israelite, who has contracted this disease, is to live (Lev. 13:45-46). It is a disease that demands social distancing (cf. Lev. 13-14). “When he [Jesus] came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean’” (Mt. 8:1-2). I can imagine, as this leper came to Jesus, that the great crowd backed away for fear of accidental exposure.
Why would the leper choose to go to Jesus? Why would a leper not just give up and accept his fate? This says something about how people viewed Jesus. He is one who did miracles. But He is also the Messiah - who is the Son of God. “And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Mt. 8:3). That sure would have been something to see. It would have been something to rejoice about. If I was a leper who was cleansed, I would hug and thank Jesus for such a great healing. But Jesus knew what the Law of Moses expected of one who was healed from leprosy. So, Jesus said, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Mt. 8:4).
This law for cleansing of lepers was not an arbitrary thing. It actually took eight days to complete and it included a guilt offering, a wave offering, a sin offering, and a burnt offering (Lev. 14:12-13; cf. Lev. 14). Here we see the wonderful mind of God. Not only was Jesus reaching the masses of people surrounding Him, He was also reaching out to the priests. This miracle of healing was a proof to the priests that Jesus was special.
In a similar way, all people in the world have a contagious disease. No, I am not talking about the Coronavirus pandemic. It is called sin. Just as the threat of contamination by leprosy or Coronavirus so is the disease called sin. Sin is the spiritual leprosy from which all people need healing. One of the truths I understand is this – for people to understand the Good News of Jesus they need to understand the bad news of their spiritual disease – it is the disease of our own doing. This disease started with Adam and Eve, but it also comes from our own choice to live opposed to God and His teachings. Thankfully, there is a cure.
This is why Jesus died and rose from the dead. His sacrifice has become the cure for the disease of sin which separates mankind from God. And the only way to come into God’s eternal presence is to have the appropriate remedy. Jesus Christ is the remedy. But a person must inoculate themselves in the way God wants them to. There must be a repentance. This repentance is a change from our sinful ways toward a desire to follow God through Jesus. With true repentance then comes the offering of forgiveness by God. In the first Christian sermon and the greatest example of becoming healed, the apostle Peter said, “Repent AND be baptized [immersed] every one of you in the name [authority] of Jesus Christ FOR [to receive] the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38, ESV; cf. Peter’s entire sermon in Acts 2:14-47). The Good News of Jesus comes to the contagious.
Why would the leper choose to go to Jesus? Why would a leper not just give up and accept his fate? This says something about how people viewed Jesus. He is one who did miracles. But He is also the Messiah - who is the Son of God. “And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Mt. 8:3). That sure would have been something to see. It would have been something to rejoice about. If I was a leper who was cleansed, I would hug and thank Jesus for such a great healing. But Jesus knew what the Law of Moses expected of one who was healed from leprosy. So, Jesus said, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Mt. 8:4).
This law for cleansing of lepers was not an arbitrary thing. It actually took eight days to complete and it included a guilt offering, a wave offering, a sin offering, and a burnt offering (Lev. 14:12-13; cf. Lev. 14). Here we see the wonderful mind of God. Not only was Jesus reaching the masses of people surrounding Him, He was also reaching out to the priests. This miracle of healing was a proof to the priests that Jesus was special.
In a similar way, all people in the world have a contagious disease. No, I am not talking about the Coronavirus pandemic. It is called sin. Just as the threat of contamination by leprosy or Coronavirus so is the disease called sin. Sin is the spiritual leprosy from which all people need healing. One of the truths I understand is this – for people to understand the Good News of Jesus they need to understand the bad news of their spiritual disease – it is the disease of our own doing. This disease started with Adam and Eve, but it also comes from our own choice to live opposed to God and His teachings. Thankfully, there is a cure.
This is why Jesus died and rose from the dead. His sacrifice has become the cure for the disease of sin which separates mankind from God. And the only way to come into God’s eternal presence is to have the appropriate remedy. Jesus Christ is the remedy. But a person must inoculate themselves in the way God wants them to. There must be a repentance. This repentance is a change from our sinful ways toward a desire to follow God through Jesus. With true repentance then comes the offering of forgiveness by God. In the first Christian sermon and the greatest example of becoming healed, the apostle Peter said, “Repent AND be baptized [immersed] every one of you in the name [authority] of Jesus Christ FOR [to receive] the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38, ESV; cf. Peter’s entire sermon in Acts 2:14-47). The Good News of Jesus comes to the contagious.
Article published on April 9, 2020 in the Flagler Newspaper in Flagler, Colorado
Published in the blog "The Lord's Humbled" on April 13, 2020
Published in the blog "The Lord's Humbled" on April 13, 2020
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